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November 16, 2018

Film:8th Grade “The comedian Bo Burnham-turned-filmmaker has the wisdom to know that eighth grade isn't a stage – it's a state of mind most us never entirely grow out of,” Peter Travers (American film critic and journalist) said in a “Rolling Stone” article. Kayla Day is an eighth grader in her final week of middle school in White Plains, New York. She posts motivational videos on YouTube about confidence and self-image that get almost no views as she struggling to make friends at school, winning the “Most Quiet” award from her classmates. Mark, her single father, struggles to connect with her and break her from her reliance on social media. Eighth Grade masterfully captures the emotional horror of being a Generation Z student, grossing $252,284 in 6 first weekend. The movie is light-hearted and relatable in all. Its per-screen average of $10.1 million is the best of 2018 thus far. Album: Sweetener After years of searching, Ariana Grande has found her true voice. Sweetener is an exemplary pop album, radiating with bliss and joy and newfound love Singer Ariana Grande’s rising comeback created much hype for her newly released album Sweetener which was released on August 17, 2018, through Republic Records, and features guest appearances from Pharrell Williams, Nicki Minaj and Missy Elliott. Her lead single "No Tears Left to Cry” was released on April 20, 2018, and debuted at number three on the Billboard Hot 100. The album is receiving much attention due to her four-month hiatus shortly after the Manchester bombing at her live concert that took place on May 22, 2017. On the final track of Sweetener, Grande added 40 seconds so that its duration is exactly 5:22- the date of the Manchester bombing. Since she first began her singing career in 2012, Ariana Grande has become much stronger and developed in her music career. Novel: Simon vs. the Homosapiens Agenda Simon Spier is a gay closeted 16-year-old junior and a musical theater student. Unknown to everyone, including his family and friends, Spier has been emailing someone named "Blue” using the pseudonym "Jacques," meaning “Simon” in French, as the two get closer. However, Simon is blackmailed, his secret threatened to be released if he doesn't play wingman for Martin, who is interested in one of Simon’s friends. With, his sexual orientation and the privacy of his lover has been put into jeopardy. Spier must find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he is pushed out and before he loses Blue, who gets closer to revealing himself every day. Simon vs. the Homosapiens Agenda is a funny, heartfelt, and truly touching teen romance that could easily become a modern classic for today's generation. Video Game: Assassin's Creed Odyssey (2018) Assassin's Creed Odyssey is an upcoming action role-playing video game developed by Ubisoft Quebec and published by Ubisoft. It is the eleventh major installment, and twentieth overall, in the Assassin's Creed series and the successor to 2017's Assassin's Creed Origins. Assassin’s Creed Odyssey tows an intriguing yet similar line, eager to showcase a gallery of fascinating locations and relics while providing players with enough tools to slaughter thousands, and it’s even leaning into its more fantastical elements this time around....

Another POV on Kavanaugh’s nomination

Jasmin Prasad, Staff Writer

November 16, 2018

Filed under Online Only, Opinion

President Donald Trump’s candidate to replace Justice Anthony Kennedy on the Supreme court, Brett Kavanaugh, has received much criticism from both sides of the political spectrum; social conservatives claim that he simply isn’t conservative enough, and liberals claim that he is an outlier from mainstream...

Team tryouts are overwhelming students

Jacqueline Guillena, Staff Writer

November 16, 2018

Filed under Columns, Online Only, Sports

Tryouts can be very intimidating for athletes — especially if they’ve never tried out for a team or if it’s a new sport they haven’t played before. For most athletes, overcoming nerves is the hardest thing to do, but getting those nerves under control is possible. Athletes are encouraged to...

Diversity: Are We Really?

Ryan Duff, Feature Columnist

November 9, 2018

Filed under Columns, Feature, Online Only, Showcase

Diversity and acceptance are the two ideals Bear Creek students hold high above the rest. We boast an overwhelmingly positive campus environment full of loyal Bruin spirit, and with a student body as diverse as ours, part of that spirit manifests as a celebration of the many different backgrounds and ...

Donn Emerson Church – O’Connor Woods

April 18, 2018

Filed under O'Connor Woods, Online Only, Showcase

O'Connor Woods resident Donn Emerson Church was born on December 19, 1925 and raised in Tracy. He first came to Stockton after World War II. He inherited a business focused on air conditioning from his father after working as a mechanical contractor. His favorite memory from owning a compan...

John Allen – O’Connor Woods

April 18, 2018

Filed under O'Connor Woods, Online Only, Showcase

O'Connor Woods resident John Allen was born on January 24, 1921. He was born in Modesto and has lived in Stockton since 1952. He graduated Modesto High in 1938. During World War II, he started flying as a navigator for the Air Force in the Pacific for about five years. As a navigator, he neede...

Albert Smith – O’Connor Woods

April 18, 2018

Filed under O'Connor Woods, Online Only, Showcase

O'Connor Woods resident Albert Smith was born on November 17, 1930. He was born in Sacramento and came to Stockton around 1941. He worked as an electrician for Stockton Unified School District for 22 years before getting a job at General Mills. “I wanted to become an electrician so Stockto...

O’Connor Woods group photo

March 30, 2018

Filed under O'Connor Woods, Online Only, Showcase

Group photo of the O'Connor Woods residents. Bear Creek greatly appreciates your time spent with us!

Una O’Farrell – O’Connor Woods

March 30, 2018

Filed under O'Connor Woods, Online Only, Showcase, Uncategorized

Una O’Farrell, 89, was born in Ireland. Her early childhood revolved around dancing. Her father had hired an old-school teacher, a little old man, to give personal dance lessons to each child in their home. Her family also hosted céilís, Irish social gatherings with Gaelic folk music and dancing,...

Ruth Morgan – O’Connor Woods

Claire Gilliland, Editor-in-Chief

March 30, 2018

Filed under O'Connor Woods, Online Only, Showcase

O’Connor Woods resident Ruth Morgan was born on Oct. 27, 1934, in the Philippines, the youngest of six children. She was six years old when Japanese soldiers came and occupied her country and her city, Manila. “In 1941, almost around Pearl Harbor,” Morgan said. “The Japanese just walked ...

Craig Hubbard – O’Connor Woods

March 30, 2018

Filed under O'Connor Woods, Online Only, Showcase

At age 19, O'Connor Woods resident Craig Hubbard moved from Nebraska to California to serve his country during World War II. He was in the middle of studying for his journalism degree at University of Nebraska but when moving to California, he transferred to the University of California at Berkeley. H...

Doris Meyer – O’Connor Woods

Serra Raquel, Staff Writer

March 30, 2018

Filed under O'Connor Woods, Online Only

O'Connor Woods resident Doris Meyer was born on July 23, 1927, in San Francisco, California. Meyer grew up during the Great Depression and was a teenager during World War II. During this time, everything had to be rationed. Stamps were used for commodities like butter, coffee and gas. Meyer had to...